that God puts into the Câ—…p so much afflicts us as the ingrediâ—…ts of our distempered passions mingled with them The sting and coare of them all is sinne when that is not â—…ely pardoned but in some measure â—…led and the proud flesh eaten out â—…n a healthy soule will â—…eare any thing After repentance that trouble that before was a correction becomes now a triall and exercise of grace Strike Lord saith Luther I'beare any thing willingly because my sinnes are forgiven We should not be cast downe so much about outward troubles as about sinne that both procures them and invenomes them We see by experience when conscience is once set at liberty how chearefully men will goe under any burthen therefore labour to keep out sinne and then let come what will come It is the foolish wisdome of the world to prevent trouble by sin which is the way indeed to pull the greatest trouble upon us For sinne dividing betwixt God and us moveth him to leave the soule to intangle it selfe in â—…s owne wayes When the conscience is cleare then there is nothing between God and us to hinder our trust Outward troubles rather drive us neerer unto God and stand with his love But sin defileth the soule and sets it further from God It is well doing that inables us to commit our soules cheerefully â—…to him Whatsoever our outward condition be if our hearts condemne us 〈◊〉 we may have boldnesse with God In my trouble our care should be not to avoid the trouble but sinfull miscari age in and about the trouble and so trust God It is a heavy condition to be under the burthen of trouble and under the burthen of a guilty conscience both at once When men will walke in the light of their owne fire and the sparkes which they have kindled themselves it is just with God that they should lye downe in sorow Whatsoever injuries we suffer from those that are ill affected to us let us commit our cause to the God of vengeance and not meddle with his prerogative He will revenge our cause better then we can and more perhaps then we desire The wronged side is the â—…er side If in stead of meditating revenge we can so overcome ourselves 〈◊〉 to pray for our enemies and deserve well of them wee shall both sweeten our owne spirits and prevent a sharpe temptation which wee are prone unto and have an undoubted argument that we are sonnes of that Father that doth good to his enemies and members of that Saviour that prayed for his persecutors And withall by heaping coales upon our enemies shall melt them either to conversion or to confusion But the greatest triall of trust is in our last encounter with death wherein we shall finde not only a deprivation of all comforts in this life but a confluence of all ill at once but wee must know God will be the God of his unto death and not only unto death but in death We may trust God the Father with our bodies and soules which he hath created and God the Sonne with the bodies and soules which he hath redeemed and the holy Spirit with those bodies and soules that he hath sanctified We are not disquieted when wee put off our cloathes and goe to bed because we trust Gods ordinary providence to raise us up againe And why should we be disquieted when we put off our bodies and sleep our last sleep considering we are more sure to rise out of 〈◊〉 graves then out of our beds Nay we are raised up already in Christ our â—…d who is the resurrection and the life in whom we may triumph over death that triumpheth over the greatest Moâ—…chs as a disarmed and conquered enemie Death is the death of it selfe and not of us If we would have faith ready to die by wee must exercise it well in living by it and then it will no more faile us then the good things we lay hold on by it untill it hath brought 〈◊〉 into heaven where that office of it is â—…aid aside here is the prerogative of a true Christian above an hypocrite and a worldling when as their trust and the thing they trust in failes them then a true beleevers trust stands him in greatest stead In regard of our state after death a Christian need not bee disquieted for the Angels are ready to doe their office in carying his soule to Paradise those â—…ansions prepared for him His Saviour will bee his Judge and the Head will â—…t condemne the members then hee is to receive the fruit and end of his Faith the reward of his Hope which is so great and so sure that our trusting in God for that strengtheneth the heart to trust him for all other things in our passage so that the refreshing of our faith in these great things refreshes its dependance upon God for all things here below And how strong helpes have we to uphold our Faith in those great things which wee are not able to conceive of till wee come to possesse them Is not our husband there and hath hee not taken possession for us doth he not keep our place for us Is not our flesh there in him and his spirit below with us have we not some first fruits and earnest of it before hand Is not Christ now a fitting and preparing of us daily for what he hath prepared and keepes for us Whither tends all we meete with in this world that comes betwixt us and heaven as desertions inward conflicts outward troubles and death at last but to fit us for a better condition hereafter and â—…y Faith therein to stirre up a strong desire after it Comfort one another with â—…se things saith the Apostle these bee 〈◊〉 things will comfort the soule CHAP. XXV Of the defects of gifts disquieting the â—…le As also the afflictions of the Church AMong other things there is nothing more disquiets a Christian â—…at is called to the fellowship of Christ and his Church here and to â—…ory hereafter then that he sees himselfe unfurnished with those gifts that 〈◊〉 fit for the calling of a Saint As â—…ewise for that particular standing â—…d place wherein God hath set him in 〈◊〉 world by being a member of a boâ—… politick For our Christian calling wee must â—…ow that Christianity is a matter raâ—…er of grace then of gifts of obedience then of parts Gifts may come from a more common worke of the â—…pirit they are common to castawayes and are more for others then for our selves Grace comes from a peculiar favour of God and especially for our owne good In the same duty where there is required both gifts and grace as in prayer one may performe it with evidence of greater grace then another of greater parts Moses a man not of the best speech was chosen before Aaron to speak to God and to strive with him by Prayer whilst Israel fought with Amaleck with the
THE SOVLES CONFLICT with it selfe AND VICTORY over it self by Faith A Treatise of the inward disquietments of distressed spirits with comfortable remedies to establish them Returne unto thy rest O my soule for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee By R. Sibbs D. D. Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge and Preacher of Grayes Inne London The Second Edition LONDON Printed by M. F. for R. Dawlman at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Churchyard 1635. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIP FVLL Sir IOHN BANKES Knight the Kings Majesties Attourney Generall Sir EDWARD MOSELY Knight his Majesties Attourney of the Duchie Sir WILLIAM DENNY Knight one of the Kings learned Counsell Sir DVDLY DIGGES Knight one of the Masters of the Chauncery And the rest of the Worshipfull Readers and Benchers with the Auncients Barresters Students and all others belonging to the Honourable Societie of Grayes Inne R. SIBBS Dedicateth these Sermons Preached amongst them in testimony of his due Observance and desire of their spirituall and eternall good TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THere be two sorts of people alwaies in the visible Church One that Satan keepes under with false peace whose life is nothing but a diversion to pre sent contentments and a running away from God and their owne hearts which they know can speake no good unto them these speake peace to themselves but God speakes none Such have nothing to doe with this Scripture the way for these men to enjoy comfort is to be soundly troubled True peace arises from knowing the worst first then our freedome from it It is a miserable peace that riseth from ignorance of evill The Angell troubled the waters and then cured those that stept in It is Christs manner to trouble our soules first and then to come with healing in his wings But there is another sort of people who being drawen out of Satans kingdome and within the Covenant of grace whom Satan labours to unsettle and disquiet being the God of the world he is vexed to see men in the world walke above the world Since he cannot hinder their estate he will trouble their peace and dampe their spirits and cut a sunder the sinewes of all their endeavours These should take themselves to taske as David doth here and labour to maintain their portion and the glory of a Christian profession For whatsoever is in God or comes from God is for their comfort Him selfe is the God of comfort his Spirit most knowne by that office Our blessed Saviour was so carefull that his Disciples should not be too much deiected that he forgat his own bitter passion to comfort them whom yet he knew would all forsake him Let not your hearts be troubled saith he And his owne soule was troubled to death that we should not be troubled whatsoever is written is written for this end every article of faith hath a speciall influence in comforting a beleeving soule They are not onely food but cordials Yea he put himselfe to his Oath that we might not onely have Consolation but strong Consolation The Sacraments seale unto us all the comforts wee have by the death of Christ the exercise of Religion as Prayer Hearing Reading c. is that our joy may be full the Communion of Saints is chiefly ordained to comfort the feeble minded and to strengthen the weake Gods government of his Church tends to this Why doth hee sweeten our pilgrimage and let us see so many comfortable dayes in the world but that we should serve him with cheerefull and good hearts As for crosses he doth but cast us downe to raise us up and empty us that hee may fill us and melt us that we may bee vessels of glory loving us as well in the furnace as when we are out and standing by us all the while We are troubled but not distressed perplexed but not in despaire persecuted but not forsaken If wee consider from what fatherly love afflictions come how they are not only moderated but sweetned and sanctified in the issue to us how can it but minister matter of comfort in the greatest seeming discōforts How then can we let the reines of our affections loose to sorow without being injurious to God and his providence as if wee would teach him how to govern his Church What unthankfulnesse is it to forget our consolation and to looke only upon matter of grievance to thinke so much upon two or three crosses as to forget a hundred blessings To suck poyson out of that from which we should suck honey What folly is it to straighten and darken our owne spirits And indispose our selves for doing or taking good A limbe out of ioynt can doe nothing without deformity and paine deiection takes off the wheeles of the soule Of all other Satan hath most advantage of discontented persons as most agreeable to his disposition being the most discontented creature under heaven He hammers all his darke plots in their braines The discontentment of the Israelires in the wildernesse provoked God to sweare that they should never enter into his rest There is another spirit in my servant Caleb saith God the spirit of Gods people is an incourageing spirit Wisdome teaches them if they feele any grievances to conceale them from others that are weaker least they b◅ disheartned God threatens it as a curse to give a trembling heart and sorrow of minde whereas on the contrary joy is as oyle to the soule it makes duties come off cheerefully and sweetly from our selves gratiously to others and acceptably to God A Prince cannot indure it in his subiects nor a Father in his children to be lowring at their presence Such usually have stollen waters to delight themselves in How many are there that upon the disgrace that followes Religion are frighted from it But what are discouragements to the incouragements Religion brings with it which are such as the very Angels themselves admire at Religion indeede brings crosses with it but then it brings comforts above those crosses What a dishonour is it to Religion to conceive that God will not maintaine and honour his followers as if his service were not the best service what a shame is it for an heire of heaven to be cast downe for every pety losse and crosse To bee afraid of a man whose breath is in his nostrils in not standing to a good cause when we are sure God will stand by us assisting and comforting us whose presence is able to make the greatest torments sweete My discourse tends not to take men off from all griefe and mourning Light for the righteous is sowen in sorrow Our state of absence from the Lord and living here in a vail of teares our daily infirmities and our sympathy with others requires it and where most grace is there is most sensibleness as in Christ. But we must distinguish between griefe and that fullennesse and deiection of spirit which is with a repining and taking off from duty when Joshua was overmuch cast
with our owâ—… hearts than with the trouble it selfe We are not hurt till our soules be hurt God will not have it in the power of any creature to hurt our soules but by our owne treason against our selves Therfore we should have our hearts in continuall jealousie for they are ready to deceive the best In suddaine encounters some sinne doth many times discover it selfe the seed whereoflyeth hid in our natures which wee thinke our selves very free from Who would have thought the seeds of murmuring had lurked in the meeke nature of Moses That the seeds of murther had lurked in the pittifull heart of David That the seeds of deniall of Christ had lyen hid in the zealous affection of Peter towards Christ If passions breake out from us which we are not naturally enclined unto and over which by grace wee have got a great conquest how watchfull need wee be over our selves in those things which by temper custome and company wee are carried unto and what cause have wee to feare continually that wee are worse than we take our selves to be There are many unruly passions lye hid in us untill they be drawne out by something that meeteth with them either I by way of opposition as when the truth of God spiritually unfolded meets with some beloved corruption it swelleth bigger the force of Gunpowder is not knowne untill some sparke light on it and oftentimes the stillest natures if crossed discover the deepest corruptions Sometimes it is drawne out by dealing with the opposite spirits of other men Oftentimes retyred men know not what lies hid in themselves 2. Sometimes by crosses as many people whilest the freshnesse and vigour of their spirits lasteth and while the flower of age and a full supply of all things continueth seeme to be ofâ—… pleasing and calme disposition bâ—… afterwards when changes come like Iobs wife they are discovered Thâ—… that which in nature is unsubdued openly appeares 3. Temptations likewise have a searching power to bring that to light in us which was hidden before Sathan hath beene a winnower and a sister of old hee thought if Iob had beene but touched in his body hee would have cursed God to his face Some men out of policie conceale their passion untill they see some advantage to let it out as Esau smoothered his hatred untill his fathers death When the restraint is taken away Men as wee say shew themselves in their pure naturalls unloose a Tyger or a Lyon and you know what he is 4. Further let us see more every day into the state of our owne soules what a shame is it that so nimble and swift a spirit as the soule is that can mount up to heaven from thence come downe into the earth in an instant should whilest it lookes over all other things over-looke it selfe that it should bee skilfull in the story almost of all times and places and yet ignorant of the story of it selfe that we should know what is done in the Court and Countrey and beyond the Seas and be ignorant of what is done at home in our owne hearts that we should live knowne to others and yet die unknowne to our selves that we should be able to give account of any thing better then of our selves to our selves This is the cause why we stand in our owne light why wee thinke better of our selves than others and better then is cause This is that which hindreth all reformation for how can wee reforme that which wee are not willing to see and so wee lose one of the surest evidences of our sincerity which is a willingnesse to search into our hearts and to bee searched by others A sincere heart will offer it selfe to triall And therefore let us sift our actions and our passions and see what is flesh in them and what is spirit and so separate the precious from the vile It is good likewise to consider what sinne we were guilty of before which moved GOD to give us up to excesse in any passion and wherein we have grieved his Spirit Passion will bee 〈◊〉 moderate when thus it knowes it must come to the triall and censure This course will either make us weary of passion or else passion will make us weary of this strict course Wee shall find it the safest way to give our hearts no rest till we have wrought on them to purpose and gotten the mastery over them When the soule is invred to this dealing with it selfe it will learne the skill to command and passions will be soone commanded as being invred to be examined and checked As wee see doggs and such like domesticall creatures that will not regard a stranger yet will be quieted in brawles presently by the voice of their Master to which they are accustomed This fits us for service Unbroken spirits are like unbroken horses unfit for any use untill they be thorowly subdued 5. And it were best to prevent as much as in us lieth the very first risings before the soule bee overcast Passions are but little motions at the first but grow as Rivers doe greater and greater the further they are carried from their Spring The first risings are the more to bee looked unto because there is most danger in them and we have least care over them Siâ—… like rust or a Canker will by little aâ—… little eate out all the graces of the soule There is no staying when we are once downe the hill till we come to the bottome No sin but is easier kept out tâ—… driven out If wee cannot prevent wicked thoughts yet wee may deny them lodging in our hearts It is our giving willing entertainment to sinfull motions that increaseth guilt and hinderâ—… our peace It is that which moveth God to give us up to a further degree of evill affections Therefore what we are afraid to doe before men we should bee afraid to thinke before God It would much further our peace to keep our judgements cleare as being the eye of the soule whereby we may discerne in every action and passion what is good and what is evill as likewise to preserve rendernesse of heart that may checke us at the first and not brooke the least evill being discovered When the heart begins once to be kindled it is easie to smother the smoke of passion which otherwise will fume up into the head and gather into so thicke a cloud as wee shall lose the sight of our selves and what is best to bee done And therefore David here labours to take up his heart at the first his care was to crush the very first insurrections of his soule before they came to break forth into open rebellion stormes we know rise out of little gusts Little risings neglectd cover the soule before wee are aware If wee would checke these risings and stifle them in their birth they would not breake out afterwards to the reproach of Religion to the scandall of the weake
of a mans victory over himselfe when hee loves health and peace of body and minde with a supply of all needfull things chiefly for this end that hee may with more freedome of spirit serve God in doing good to others So soone as grace entreth into the heart it frameth the heart to be in some measure publique and thinks it hath not its end in the bare enjoying of any thing untill it can improve what it hath for a further end Thus to seeke our selves is to deny our selves and thus to deny our selves is truely to seeke our selves It is no selfe-seeking when wee care for no more then that without which we cannot comfortably serve God When the soule can say unto GOD Lord as thou wouldest have mee serve thee in my place so grant me such a measure of health and strength wherein I may serve thee But what if God thinks it good that I shall serve him in weaknesse and in want and suffering Then it is a comfortable signe of gaining over our owne wills when we can yeeld our selves to bee disposed of by God as knowing best what is good for us There is no condition but therein we may exercise some grace and honour GOD in some measure Yet because some enlargement of conditiâ—… is ordinarily that estate wherein wee are best able to doe good in wee may in the use of meanes desire it and upon that resigne up our selves wholly unto GOD and make his will our will without exception or reservation and care for nothing more than wee can have with his leave and love This Iâ—… had exercised his heart unto where upon in that great change of condition hee sinned not that is fell not into the sinnes incident to that dejected and miserable state into sinnes of rebellion and discontent He caried his crosses comely with that stayednesse and resignednesse which became a holy man 7. It is further a cleare evidence of a spirit subdued when wee will discover the truth of our affection towards God and his people though with censure of others David was content to endure the censure of neglecting the state and Majesty of a King out of joy for setling the Arke Nehemiah could not dissemble his griefe for the ruines of the Church though in the Kings presence It is a comfortable signe of the wasting of selfe-love when wee can be at a point what becomes of our selves so it goe well with the cause of God and the Church Now the way to prevaile still more over our selves as when we are to do or suffer any thing or withstand any person in a good cause c. is not to thinke that we are to deale with men yea or with Devils so much as with our selves The Saints resisted their enemies to death by resisting their owne corruptions first if we once get the victory over our selves all other things are conquered to our ease All the hurt Satan and the world doe us is by correspondency with our selves Aâ—… things are so farre under us as wee aâ—… above our selves For the further subduing of our selves it is good to follow sinne to the first Hold and Castle which is corrupâ—… nature The streames will leade us to the Spring head Indeed the most apparant discovery of sinne is in the outward carriage wee see it in the frâ—… before in the root as wee see grace in the expression before in the affection But yet wee shall never hate sinne thorowly untill we consider it in the poysoned root from whence it ariseth That which least troubles a natural man doth most of all trouble a trâ—… Christian A naturall man is sometimes troubled with the fruit of his corruption and the consequents of guilt and punishment that attend it but a true hearted Christian with corruption it selfe this drives him 〈◊〉 complaine with St. Paul O wrâ—… man that I am who shall deliver me 〈◊〉 from the members onely but from 〈◊〉 body of death Which is as noysomâ—… to my soule as a dead carrion is to my senses which together with the members is marvellously nimble and active and hath no dayes or houres or minuits of rest alwayes laying about it to enlarge it selfe and like spring-water which the more it issueth out the more it may It is a good way upon any particular breach of our inward peace presently to have recourse to that which breeds and foments all our disquiet Lord what doe I complaine of this my unruly passion I carry a nature about me subject to breake out continually opon any occasion Lord strike at the root and dry up the fountaine in mee Thus David doth arise from the guilt of those two foule sinnes of Murther and Adultery to the sinne of his nature the root it selfe As if hee should say Lord it is not these actuall sinnes that defile mee onely but if I looke backe to my first conception I was tainted in the spring of my nature This is that here which put Davids soule so much out of frame For from whence was this contradiction Anâ—… whence was this contradiction so unwearied in making head againe and againe against the checks of the spirit in him Whence was it that Corruptioâ—… would not be said Nay Whence were these sudden and unlookt for objections of the flesh But from the remainder of old Adam in him which like a Michel within us is either scofing 〈◊〉 the wayes of God or as Iobs wife fretting and thwarting the motions of Gods spirit in us which prevailes the more because it is homebred in 〈◊〉 whereas holy motions are strangers to most of our soules Corruption is loth that a new commer in should take so much upon him as to controule As the Sodomites thought much that Lot being a stranger should intermeddle amongst them If God once leave us as heedid Hezekiah to trie what is in us what should he find but darknesse rebellion unrulinesse doubtings c. in the best of us This flesh of ours hath principles against all Gods principles and lawes against all Gods lawes and reasons against all GODS reasons Oh! if wee could but one whole houre seriously think of the impure issue of our hearts it would bring us downe upon our knees in humiliation before God But wee can never whilest we live so thorowly as we should see into the depth of our deceitfull hearts nor yet bee humbled enough for what we see For though we speake of it and confesse it yet we are not so sharpned against this corrupt flesh of ours as wee should How should it humble us that the seeds of the vilest sinne even of the Sinne against the holy Ghost is in us and no thanke to us that they breake not out It should humble us to heare of any great enormous sinne in another man considering what our owne nature would proceed unto if it were not restrained We may see our owne nature in them as face answering face If
him matter of songs in the night For all this his unrulie griefe will not be calmed but renues assaults upon the returne of the reproach of his enemies Their words were as swords unto him and his heart being made very tender and sensible of griefe these sharp words enter too deepe and thereupon he hath recourse to his former remedie as being the most tryed to chide his soule and charge it to trust in God CAP. I. Generall Observations upon the Text. HEnce in generall wee may observe that Griefe gathered to a head will not be quieted at the first We see here passions intermingled with comforts and comforts with passions and what bustling there is before David can get the victorie over his owne heart You have some short spirited Christians that if they be not comforted at the first they thinke all labour with their hearts is in vaine and thereupon give way to their griefe But we see in David as distemper ariseth upon distemper so he gives check upon check and charge upon charge to his soule untill at length hee brought it to a quiet temper In Physick if one purge will not carry away the vicious humour then wee adde a second if that will not doe it we take a third So should wee deale with our soules perhaps one check one charge will not doe it then fall upon the soule againe send it to God againe and never give over untill our soules be possessed of our soules againe Againe In generall observe in Davids spirit that a gracious and living soule is most sensible of the want of spirituall meanes The reason is because spirituall life hath answerable taste and hunger and thirst after spirituall helps Wee see in nature that those things presse hardest upon it that touch upon the necessities of nature rather then those that touch upon delights for these further onely our comfortable being but necessities uphold our being it selfe we see how famine wrought upon the Patriarks to go into Aegypt Where we may see what to judge of those who willingly excommunicate themselves from the assemblies of Gods people where the Father Son and Holy Ghost are present where the prayers of holy men meete together in one and as it were binde God and pull downe Gods blessing No private devotion hath that report of acceptance from heaven A third generall point is that a godly soule by reason of the life of grace knowes when it is well with it and when it is ill when it is a good day with it and when a bad when God shines in the use of meanes then the soule is as it were in heaven when God withdrawes himself then it is in darknesse for a time Where there is but onely a principle of nature without sanctifying grace there men go plodding on and keep their rounds and are at the end where they were at the beginning not troubled with changes because there is nothing within to be troubled and therefore dead means quicke meanes or no meanes all is one with them an argument of a dead soul. And so we come more particularly and directly to the wordes Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me c. The words imply 1 Davids state wherein he was and 2 expresse his carriage in that state His estate was such that in regard of outward condition he was in variety of troubles and that in regard of inward disposition of spirit he was first cast downe and then disquieted Now for his carriage of himselfe in this condition and disposition he dealeth roundly with himselfe David reasoneth the case with David and first checketh himselfe for being too much cast downe and then for being too much disquieted And then layeth a charge upon himselfe to trust in God wherein we have the duty he chargeth upon himselfe which is to trust in God and the grounds of the duty First from confidence of better times to come which would yeeld him matter of praising God And then by a representation of God unto him as a saving God in al troubles nay as salvation it selfe an open glorious Saviour in the view of all The salvation of my countenance and all this enforced from Davids interest in God He is my God Whence observe first from the state he was now in that since guilt and corruption hath been derived by the fall into the nature of man it hath been subjected to miserie and sorrow and that in all conditions from the King that sitteth on the Throne to him that grindeth on the Mill. None ever hath beene so good or so great as could raise themselves so high as to be above the reach of troubles And that choice part of mankind the first fruits and excellency of the rest which we call the Church more then others which appeares by consideration both of the Head the Body and members of the Church For the Head Christ he tooke our flesh as it was subject to miserie after the fall and was in regard of that which he endured both in life and death a man of sorrowes For the Body the Church It may say from the first to the last as it is Psal. 129. From my youth up they have afflicted me The Church beganne in blood hath growen up by blood and shall end in blood as it was redeemed by blood For the members they are all predestinate to a conformitie to Christ their Head as in grace and Glory so in abasement Rom. 8. 29. neither is it a wonder for those that are born soldiers to meet with conflicts for travailers to meete with hard usage for seamen to meete with storms for strangers in a strange country especially amongst their enemies to meete with strange entertainment A Christian is a man of another world and here from home which hee would forget if he were not exercised here and would take his passage for his country But though all Christians agree and meete in this that through many afflictions we must enter into heaven Yet according to the diversity of place parts and grace there is a different cup measured to every one And therefore it is but a plea of the flesh to except against the Crosse Never was poore creature distressed as I am this is but selfe-love for was it not the case both of Head Body and members as we see here in David a principall member When hee was brought to this case thus to reason the matter with himselfe Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me From the frame of Davids spirit under these troubles wee may observe that as the case is thus with all Gods people to be exercised with troubles so They are sensible of them oftentimes even to casting downe and discouraging And the reason is they are flesh and blood subject to the same passions and made of the
labours to winne ground of the old man untill at length it be all in all Indeed wee are never our selves perfectly till we have wholly put off our selves Nothing should bee at a greater distance to us then our selves This is the reason why carnall men that have nothing above themselves but their corrupt selfe sinke in great troubles having nothing within to uphold them whereas a good man is wiser then himselfe holier then himselfe stronger then himselfe there is something in him more then a man There be evills that the spirit of man alone out of the goodnesse of nature cannot beare but the spirit of man assisted with an higher spirit will support and carry him through It is a good trial of a mans condition to know what he esteemes to be himselfe A godly man counts the inner man the sanctified part to be himselfe whereby hee stands in relation to Christ and a better life Another man esteemes his contentment in the world the satisfaction of his carnall desires the respect hee findes from men by reason of his parts or something without him that he is master of this he counts himselfe and by this hee values himselfe and to this he makes his best thoughts and endevours serviceable And of crosses in these things he is most sensible and so sensible that he thinks himself undone if hee seeth not a present issue out of them That which most troubles a good man in all troubles is himselfe so farre as he is unsubdued he is more disquieted with himselfe than with all troubles out of himselfe when hee hath gotten the better once of himselfe whatsoever falls from without is light where the spirit is enlarged it cares not much for outward bondage where the spirit is lightsome it cares not much for outward darkenesse where the spirit is setled it cares not much for outward changes where the spirit is one with it selfe it can beare outward breaches where the spirit is sound it can beare outward sicknesse Nothing can bee very ill with us when all is well within This is the comfort of a holy man that though hee bee troubled with himselfe yet by reason of the spirit in him which is his better selfe hee workes out by degrees what ever is contrary As Spring-water being cleere of it selfe workes it selfe cleane though it be troubled by something cast in as the Sea will endure no poysonfull thing but casts it upon the shore But a carnall man is like a Spring corrupted that cannot worke it selfe cleare because it is wholly tainted his eye and light is darknesse and therefore no wonder if hee seeth nothing Sinne lieth upon his understanding and hinders the knowledge of it selfe it lies close upon the will and hinders the striving against it selfe True selfe that is worth the owning is when a man is taken into a higher condition and made one with Christ and esteemes neither of himselfe nor others as happy for any thing according to the flesh 1. Hee is under the law and government of the Spirit and so farre as he is himselfe works according to that principle 2. He labours more and more to be transformed into the likenesse of Christ in whom hee esteemeth that hee hath his best being 3. He esteemes of all things that befall him to bee good or ill as they further or hinder his best condition If all bee well for that hee counts himselfe well whatsoever else befals him Another man when hee doth any thing that is good acts not his owne part but a godly man when hee doth good is in his proper element what another man doth for by ends and reasons that hee doth from a new nature which if there were no Law to compell yet would moove him to that which is pleasing to Christ. If hee bee drawen aside by passion or temptation that hee judgeth not to bee himselfe but taketh a holy revenge on himselfe for it as being redeemed and taken out from himselfe hee thinkes himselfe no debtor nor to owe any service to his corrupt selfe That which he plots and projects and works for is that Christ may rule every where and especially in himselfe for he is not his owne but Christs and therefore desires to bee more and more emptied of himselfe that Christ might bee all in all in him Thus we see what great use there is of dealing with our selves for the better composing and setling of our souls Which though it bee a course without glory and ostentation in the world as causing a man to retire inwardly into his owne breast having no other witnesse but God and himselfe and though it bee likewise irksome to the flesh as calling the soule home to it selfe being desirous naturally to wander abroad and be a stranger at home Yet it is a course both good in it selfe and makes the soule good For by this meanes the judgement is exercised and rectified the will and affections ordered the whole man put into an holy frame fit for every good action By this the tree is made good and the fruit cannot but be answerable by this the soule it selfe is set in tune whence there is a pleasant harmony in our whole conversation Without this wee may doe that which is outwardly good to others but wee can never bee good our selves The first justice begins within when there is a due subjection of all the powers of the soule to the spirit as sanctified and guided by Gods Spirit when justice and order is first established in the soule it will appeare from thence in all oâ—… dealings Hee that is at peace in himselfe will bee peaceable to others peaceable in his family peaceable in the Church peaceable in the State The soule of a wicked man is in perpetuall sedition being alwayes troubled in it selfe it is no wonder if it be troublesome to others Unity in our selves is before union with others To conclude this first part concerning intercourse with our selves As wee desire to enjoy our selves and to live the life of men and of Christians which is to understand our wayes as we desire to live comfortably and not to be accessary of yeelding to that sorrow which causeth death As wee desire to answere GOD and our selves when we are to give an account of the inward tumults of our soules As we desire to be vessells prepared for every good worke and to have strength to undergoe any crosse As we desire to have healthy soules and to keep a Sabbath within our selves As wee desire not onely to doe good but to be good in our selves So let us labour to quiet our soules and often ask a reason of our selves Why we should not be quiet CAP. X. Meanes not to bee overcharged 〈◊〉 sorrow TO helpe us further herein besidâ—… that which hath beene formerly spoken 1. Wee must take heed of building an ungrounded confidence of happinesse for time to come which maâ—… us when changes come 1. Unacquainted with them 2. takes away
others in that which is generally thought to make us happy and esteemed amongst men if wee bee not the onely men yet wee will bee somebody in the world some thing we will haue to bee highly esteemed for wherein if we be crossed we count it the greatest misery that can befall us And which is worse a corrupt desire of being great in the opinion of others creepes into the profession of religion if we live in those places wherein it brings credit or gaine men will sacrifice their very lives for vaine glory It is an evidence a man lives more to opinion and reputation of others then to Conscience when his griefe is more for being disappointed of that approbation which hee expects from men then for his miscarriage towards GOD. It marres all in religion when wee goe about heavenly things with earthly affections and seeke not CHRIST iâ—… Christ but the world What is Popery but an artificiall frame of meâ—… braine to please mens imaginations by outward state and pompe of Cereâ—…nies like that golden image of Nebuchâ—…nezar wherein hee pleased himselfe so that to have uniformity in worshipping the same he compelled all â—…der paine of death to fall downe before it this makes superstitious persons alwaies cruell because superstitious devises aâ—… the brats of our owne imagination which we strive for more then for the purity of Gods worship hence it is likewise that superstitious persons aâ—… restlesse as the woman of Samaria iâ—… their owne spirits as having no bottome but fancie in stead of faith §. 2. Now the reason why imagiâ—… works so upon the soule is hee ariseâ—… stirres up the affections answerable 〈◊〉 the good or ill which it apprehends and our affections stirre the humors of the body so that oftentimes both our soules and bodies are troubled hereby Things worke upon the soule in this order 1. Some object is presented 2. Then it is apprehended by imagination as good and pleasing or as evill and hurtfull 3. If good the desire is â—…ried to it with delight if evill it is rejected with distast and so our affections are stirred up sutably to our apprehension of the object 4. Affections stiâ—… up the spirits 5. The spirits raise the humours and so the whole man becomes moved and oftentimes â—…pered this falleth out by reason of â—…e Sympathy betweene the soule and body whereby what offendeth one reâ—…deth to the hurt of the other And we see conceived troubles have the same effect upon us as true Iacob was as much troubled with the imagination of his sonnes death as if hee had been dead indeed imagination though it bee an empty windy thing yet it hath reall effects Supertious persons are as much troubled for negleâ—…ing any voluntarie service of maâ—… iâ—…vention as if they had offended agaiâ—… the direct commandement of God 〈◊〉 superstition breeds false feares and 〈◊〉 feare brings true vexation it trâ—… formes God to an Idoll imagining liâ—… to be pleased with whatsoever pleâ—… our selves when as wee take it ill 〈◊〉 those who are under us should take â—…rection from themselves and not frâ—… us in that which may content us â—…perstition is very busie but all in vâ—… in vaine they worship mee saith God 〈◊〉 how can it choose but vexe and 〈◊〉 quiet men when they shall take a grâ—… deale of paines in vaine and whiâ—… worse to displease most in that whâ—… in they thinke to please most Goâ—… blasteth all devised service with 〈◊〉 demand Who required these thingâ—… your hands It were better for 〈◊〉 aske our selves this question beâ—… hand Who acquired this Why doe 〈◊〉 trouble our selves about that which we 〈◊〉 have no thanke for Wee should not bring God downe to our owne imagâ—…nations but raise our imaginations up to God Now imagination hurteth us 1. By false representations 2. By preventing reason and so usurping a censure of things before our judgements try them whereas the office of imaginatiâ—… is to minister matter to our understanding to worke upon and not to leade it much lesse misleade it in any thing 3. By forging matter out of it selfe without ground the imaginarie grievances of our lives are more then the reall 4. As it is an ill instrument of the understanding to devise vanity and mischiefe §. 3. The way to cure this malady in us is 1. To labour to bring these risings of our soules into the obedience of Gods truth and Spirit for imagination of it selfe if ungoverned is a wilde and a ranging thing it wrongs not onely the frame of Gods worke in us setting the baser part of a man above the highâ—…r but it wrongs likewise the worke of God in the creatures and every thing else for it shapes things as it selfe pleaseth it maketh evill good if it pleaseth the senses and good evill if it be dâ—… gerous and distastfull to the outâ—… man which cannot but breed an â—…quiet and an unsetled soule As if 〈◊〉 were a god it can tell good and evill at its pleasure it sets up and pulls doâ—… the price of what it listeth By reaâ—… of the distemper of imagination the life of many is little else but a dream Many good men are in a long dreame of 〈◊〉 sery and many bad men in as longâ—… dreame of happinesse till the tiâ—… awaking come and all because they 〈◊〉 too much led by appearances and as iâ—… a dreame men are deluded with 〈◊〉 joyes and false feares So here wiâ—… cannot but breed an unquiet and 〈◊〉 unsetled soule therefore it is necesâ—… that God by his word and spirit shâ—… erect a government in our heaâ—… 〈◊〉 captivate and order this licentious 〈◊〉 culty 2. Likewise it is good to preâ—… reall things to the soule as the 〈◊〉 riches and true misery of a Christian the true honour and dishonour true beauty and deformity the true noblenesse and debasement of the soule What ever is in the world are but Shadowes of things in comparison of those true realties which Religion affords and why should wee vexe our selves about a vaine shadow The Holy Ghost to prevent further mischiefe by these outward things gives a dangerous report of them calling them vanity unrighteous Mammon entertaine riches thornes yea nothing because though they be not so in themselves yet our imagination over-valuing them they prove so to us upon triall Now knowledge that is bought by triall is often deere bought and therefore God would have us prevent this by a right conceit of things before hand least trusting to vanity wee vanish our selves and trusting to nothing wee become nothing our selves and which is worse worse then nothing 3. Oppose serious consideration against vaine imagination and because our imagination is prone to raise false objects and thereby false conceits and discourses in us Our best way herein is to propound true objects for the minde to worke upon as 1. to consider the greatnesse and goodnesse of Almighty God and his love to us
unto blasphemy they imagine good men to be led with vaine conceits but good men know them to bee so led Not onely St. Paul but CHRIST himselfe were counted besides themselves when they were earnest for God and the soules of his people But there is enough in Religion to beare up the soule against all imputations laid upon it the true children of wisedome are alwayes able to justifie their Mother and the conscionable practise of holy duties is founded upon such solid grounds as shall hold out when heaven and earth shall vanish 2. Wee must know that as there is great danger in false conceits of the way to heaven when we make it broader than it is for by this meanes wee are like men going over a bridge who thinke it broader then it is but being deceived by some shadow sinck downe and are suddenly drowned So men mistaking the strait way to life and trusting to the shadow of their owne imagination fall into the bottomlesse pit of hell before they are aware In like manner the danger is great in making the way to heaven narrower then indeed it is by weake and superstitious imaginations making more sinnes than God hath made The Wisemans counsell is that we should not make our selves over wicked nor bee foolisher than we are by devising more sinnes in our imagination than we are guilty of It is good in this respect to know our Christian liberty which being one of the fruits of Christs death we cannot neglect the same without much wrong not onely to our selves but to the rich bounty and goodnesse of God So that the due rules of limitation bee observed from authority piety sobriety needlesse offence of others c. we may with better leave use all those comforts which God hath given to refresh us in the way to heaven then refuse them the care of the outward man bindes conscience so farre as that wee should neglect nothing which may helpe us in a cheerefull serving of GOD in our places and tend to the due honour of our bodies which are the temples of the Holy Ghost and companions with our soules in all performances So that under this pretence wee take not too much liberty to satisfie the lusts of the body Intemperate use of the creatures is the nurse of all passions because our spirits which are the soules instruments are hereby inflamed and disturbed it is no wonder to see an intemperate man transported into any passion 3. Some out of their high and ayery imaginations and out of their iron and flintie Philosophy will needs thinke outward good and ill together with the affections of griefe and delight stirred up thereby to bee but opinions and conceits of good and evill onely not true and really so founded in nature but taken up of our selves But though our fancy be ready to conceit a greater hurt in outward evils then indeed there is as in poverty paine of body death of friends c. yet wee must not deny them to bee evills that wormewood is bitter it is not a conceit onely but the nature of the thing it selfe yet to abstaine from it altogether for the bitternesse thereof is a hurtfull conceit That honey is sweet it is not a conceit onely but the naturall quality of it is so yet out of a taste of the sweetnesse to think wee cannot take too much of it is a misâ—…ceit paid home with loathsome bitternesse Outward good and outward evill and the affections of delight and sorrâ—… rising thence are naturally so and depend not upon our opinion This were to offer violence to nature and to take man out of man as if hee were not flesh but steele Universall experience from the sensiblenesse of our nature in any outward grievance is sufficient to damâ—… this conceit The way to comfort a man in griefe is not to tell him that it is onely a conceit of evill and no evill indeed that he suffers this kinde of learning will not downe with him as being contrary to his present feeling but the way is to yeeld unto him that there is cause of grieving though not of ever-grieving and to shew him grounds of comfort stronger then the griefe he suffers We should weigh the degrees of evill in a right ballance and not suffer fancie to make them greater then they are So as that for obtaining the greatest outward good or avoiding the greatest outward ill of suffering wee should give way to the least evill of sinne This is but a policy of the flesh to take away the sensiblenesse of evill that so those cheeks of conscience and repentance for Sinne which is oft occasioned thereby might be taken away that so men may goe on enjoying a stupid happinesse never laying any thing to heart nor afflicting their soules untill their consciences awaken in the place of the damned and then they feele that griefe reâ—…ne upon them for ever which they laboured to put away when it might have beene seasonable to them §. 7. I have stood the longer upon this because Sathan and his instruments by bewitching the imagination with false appearances misleadeth not onely the world but troubleth the peace of men taken out of the world whose estate is laid up safe in Christ who notwithstanding passe their few dayes here in an uncomfortable wearisome and unnecessary sadnesse of spirit being kept in ignorance of their happy condition by Sathans jugling and their own mistakes and so come to heaven before they are aware Some againe passe their dayes in a golden dreame and drop into hell before they thinke of it but it is farre better to dreame of ill and when wee awake to finde it but a dreame then to dreame of some great good and when we awake to finde the contrary As the distemper of the fancie disturbing the act of reason oftentimes breeds madnesse in regard of civill conversation So it breeds likewise spirituall madnesse carrying men to those things which if they were in their right wits they would utterly abhorre therefore wee cannot have too much care upon what wee fixe our thoughts And what a glorious discovery is there of the excellencies of Religion that would even ravish an Angell which may raise up exercise fill our hearts We see our fancie hath so great a force in naturall conceptions that it oft sets a marke and impression upon that which is conceived in the wombe So likewise strong and holy conceits of things having a divine vertue accompanying of them transforme the soule and breed spirituall impressions answerable to our spirituall apprehensions It would prevent many crosses if we would conceive of things as they are When trouble of minde or sicknesse of body and death it selfe commeth what will remaine of all that greatnesse which filled our fancies before then we can judge soberly and speake gravely of things The best way of happinesse is not to multiply honours or riches c. but to cure our
God bestowed upon us that we never prayed for and yet we are not so ready to praise God as to pray unto him this more desire of what we want then esteeming of what we have shews too much prevailing of self-love But Secondly comparing also our selves with others will adde a great lustre to Gods favour considering wee are all hewed out of one Rock and differ nothing from the meanest but in Gods free love Who are wee that God should single us out for the glory of his rich mercy Considering likewise that the blessings of God to us are such as if none but we â—…d them and God cares for us as if hee 〈◊〉 none else to care for in the world besides These things well pondered should set the greater price upon Gods blessings what are we in nature and grace bâ—… Gods blessings What is in us about us above us What see we taste wee enjoy we but blessings All wee have or hope to have are but dead favouâ—… to us unlesse we put life into them by 〈◊〉 spirit of Thankfulnesse And shall we â—…e as dead as the earth as the stones â—…ee tread on Shall we live as if wee were resolved God should have no praise by us Shall we make our selves God ascribing all to our selves Nay shall we as many doe fight against God with his owne favours and turne Gods blessings against himselfe Shall we abuse peace to security Plenty to ease promises to presumption gifts to pride How can we please the devill better then thus doing Oh! the wonderfull patience of God to continue â—…e to those whose life is nothing else 〈◊〉 a warring against him the giver of â—…e As God hath thoughts of love to us so should our thoughts be of praises to â—…m and of doing good in our places â—…o others for his sake Think with thy selfe Is there any I may honour God by releeving comforting counselling 〈◊〉 there any of Ionat hans race Is there â—…y of Christs deare ones I will doe good to them that they together with me and for me may praise God As David here checks himselfe for the failing and disquietnesse of his Spirit and as a cure thereof thinkes of praising God So let us in the like case stir up our soules as he did and say Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me set forth his holy name Wee never use our spirits to better purpose then when by that light we have from God wee stirre them up to looke back againe to him By this it will appeare to what good purposes we had a being here in the world and were brought into communion with Christ by the Gospell The cariage of all things to the right end shewes whose we are and whither we tend It abundantly appeares by Godâ—… revealing of himselfe many wayes to us as by Promises Sacraments Sabbaths c. that hee intended to raise up our hearts to this heavenly duty The whole gracious dispensation of God in Christ tends to this that our cariage should be nothing else but an expression of Thankfulnesse to him that by a free cheerefull and gracious disposition we might shew we are the people of Gods free grace set at liberty from the spirit of bondage to serve him without feare with a voluntary child-like service all the dayes of our lives CHAP. XXIX Of Gods manifold salvation for his people And why open or expressed in the countenance Proceed Hee is the salvation of my countenance As David strengthens his trust in God by reason fetcht from the future goodnesse of God apprehended by faith so hee strengthens that reason with another reason fetcht from God whom he apprehends here as the salvation of his countenance Wee need reason against reason and reason upon reason to steele and strengthen the soule against the on-set of contrary reasons He is the salvation of my countenance that is He will so save as I shall see and my enemies shall see it and upon seeing my countenance shall bee cheared and lifted up Gods saving kindnesse shall be read in my countenance so that all who looke on mee shall say God hath spoken peace to my soule as well as brought peace to my condition He saith not salvation but salvations because as our life is subject to many miseries in soule body and state publique and private c. so God hath ma ny salvations If we have a thousand troubles he hath a thousand wayes of help as he hath more blessings then one so hee hath more salvations then one He saves our soules from sin our bodies from danger and our estates from trouble He is the redeemer of his people and not onely so but with him is plenteous redemption of all persons of all parts both of body and soule from all ill both of sinne and misery for all times both now and hereafter He is an everlasting salvation David doth not say God will save me but God is salvation it self and nothing but salvation Our sinnes onely stop the current of his mercy but it being above all our sinnes will soone scatter that cloud remove that stop and then we shall see and feele nothing but salvation from the Lord. All his vayes are mercy and peace to a repentant soule that casts it selfe upon him Christ himselfe is nothing else but salvation clothed in our flesh So olde Simeon conceived of him when he had him in his armes and was willing thereupon to yeeld up his spirit to God having seen Christ the salvation of God when we embrace Christ in the armes of our Faith we embrace nothing but salvation Hee makes up that sweet name given him by his Father and brought from heaven by an Angell to the full a name in the Faith of which it is impossible for any beleeving soule to sinke The devill in trouble presents God to us as a revenging destroyer and unbeleefe presents him under a false vizard but the skill of faith is to present him as a Saviour clothed with salvation Wee should not so much looke what destruction the devill and his threaten as what salvation God promiseth To God belongs the issues of death and of all other troubles which are lesser deathes Cannot he that hath vouchsafed an issue in Christ from eternall death vouchsafe an issue from all temporall evills If hee will raise our bodies can he not raise our conditions He that brought us into trouble can easily make a way out of it when hee pleaseth This should bee a ground of resolute and absolute obedience even in our greatest extremities considering God will either deliver us from death or by death and at length out of death So then when we are in any danger we see whither to goe for salvation even to him that is nothing else but salvation but then we must trust in him as David doth and conceive of him as salvation that we may trust
a grace wherâ—…y the soule resigneth up it self to God â—…n humble submission to his will because he is our God as David in extremity comforted himselfe in the Lord his God Patience breeds comfort because it brings experience with it of Gods owâ—…ing of us to be His. The soul shod and â—…enced with this is prepared against all â—…bs and thornes in our way so as wee â—…e kept from taking offence All troubles we suffer doe but help patience to its perfect worke by subduing the unbroken sturdinesse of our spirits when wee feele by experience wee get but more blowes by standing out against God 4. The Spirit of God likewise is a spirit of meeknesse whereby though the â—…ul be sensible of evill yet it modeâ—…tes such distempers as would otherwise rob a man of himselfe and together with patience keepeth the soul in possession of it selfe It stayes murmurings and frettings against God or man It sets and keepes the soul in tune It is that which God as hee workes so hee much delights in and sets a price upon it as the chiefe ornament of the soul. The meek of the earth seek God and are hid in the day of his wrath whereas high spirits that compasse themselves with pride as with a chain thinking to set out themselves by that which is their shame are looked upon by God a farre off Meek persons will bow when others break they are raised when others are pluckt down and stand when others that mount upon the wings of vanity fall these prevaile by yeelding and are Lords of themselves and other things else more then other unquiet spirited men the blessings of heaven and earth attend on these 5. So likewise contentednesse with our estate is needfull for a waiting condition and this we have in Our God being able to give the soul full satisfaction For outward things God knowes â—…ow to dyet us If our condition be not 〈◊〉 our minde he will bring our minde 〈◊〉 our condition If the spirit bee too â—…gge for the condition it is never quiâ—… therefore God will levell both Those wants be well supplyed that are made up with contentednesse and with â—…hes of a higher kinde If the Lordâ—…e â—…e our Shepheard we can want nothing This lifteth the weary hands and feeble â—…ees even under chastisement wherein though the soule mourneth in the sence of Gods displeasure yet it rejoyceth in his Fatherly care 6. But patience and contentment are â—…o low a condition for the soul to rest 〈◊〉 therefore the spirit of God raiseth it vp to a spirituall enlargement of joy So much joy so much light and so much hight so much scattering of darknesse of â—…pirit We see in nature how a little light will prevaile over the thickest clouds of darknesse a little fire wastes a great â—…eale of drosse The knowledge of God to be our God brings such a light of joy into the soul as driveth outâ—… dark uncomfortable conceits this light makes lightsome If the light of knowledge alone makes bold much more the light of joy arising from our communion and interest in God How can wee enjoy God and not joy in him A soule truely cheerefull rejoyceth that God whom it loveth should think it worthy to endure any thing for him This joy often ariseth to a spirit of glory even in matter of outward abasement if the trouble accompanyed with disgrace continue the spirit of glory rests upon us and it will rest so long untill it make us more then Conquerours even then when we seeme conquered for not onely the cause but the spirit riseth higher the more the enemies labour to keepe it under as we see in Stephen With this joy goeth a spirit of courage and confidence What can daunt that soule which in the greatest troubles hath made the great God to be its owne Such a spirit dares bid defiance to all opposite power setting the soule above the world having a spirit larger and higher then the world and seeing all but God beneath it as being in heaven already in its head After Moses and Micah had seene God in his favour to them how little did they regard the angry countenances of those mighty Princes that were in their times the terrours of the world The courage of a Christian is not onely against sensible danger and of flesh and bloud but against principalities and powers of darknesse against the whole kingdome of Sathan the god of the world whom hee knowes shortly shall be trodden under his feet Sathan and his may for a time exercise us but they cannot hurt us True beleevers are so many Kings and Queens so many Conquerours over that which others are slaves to they can overcome themselves in revenge they can despise those things that the world admires and see an excellency in that which the world sets light by they can set upon spirituall duties which the world cannot tell how to goe about and endure that which others tremble to think of and that upon wise reasons and a sound foundation they can put off themselves and be content to be nothing so their God may appeare the greater and dare undertake and undergoe any thing for the glory of their God This courage of Christians among the Heathens was counted obstinacy but they knew not the power of the spirit of Christ in his which is ever strongest when they are weakest in themselves they knew not the privy armour of proofe that Christians had about their hearts and thereupon counted their courage to be obstinacy Some think the Martyrs were too prodigall of their bloud and that they might have beene better advised but such are unacquainted with the force of the love of God kindled in the heart of his childe which makes him set such a high price upon Christ and his truth that he counts not his life dear unto him He knowes hee is not his owne but hath given up himselfe to Christ and therefore all that is his yea if hee had more lives to give for Christ hee should have them He knowes he shall be no looser by it Hee knowes it is not a losse of his life but an exchange for a better We see the creatures that are under us will be couragious in the eye of their Masters that are of a superiour nature above them and shall not a Christian be couragious in the presence of his great Lord and Master who is present with him about him and in him undoubtedly hee that hath seene God once in the face of Christ dares look the grimmest creature in the face yea death it selfe under any shape The feare of all things flyes before such a soule Onely a Christian is not ashamed of his confidence Why should not a Christian be as bold for his God as others are for the base gods they make to themselves 7. Besides a spirit of courage for establishing the soule is required a spirit of constancie